Funding Status:
Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable
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Procurement Mechanism(s):
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Aims:
1. Develop a numerical model to estimate changes in intracranial venous
flow, volume, compliance and pressure in response to a fluid shift and changes in
hydrostatic gradients. Include tissue compressive forces in the model.
2. Determine the cranial venous changes produced by fluid shifts and
altered hydrostatic gradients. Use interventions that can produce fluid shifts
(lower body negative pressure and lower body positive pressure) and alter
hydrostatic gradients (supine and prone postures). These experiments are
designed to provide data for validating and verifying the model developed as a
part of Aim #1.
3. Identify individuals with common intracranial venous variants, and study
them using the protocol outlined in Aim #2.
By building and validating a numerical model, we will be able to use the model to: (a)
develop hypotheses about spaceflight visual changes, (b) provide estimates of likely
changes in intracranial pressure and venous pressure in space, and (c) offer predictions
about future visual changes in an individual. This could provide unique insights into the
etiology of microgravity-induced vision changes, as well as serve as a diagnostic tool.